I've been looking at the Aussie heated hose, but $139 seemed offensive. I finally found the perfect affordable solution. The Zoo Med Repti heat cable (as in reptile). The cable is a super flexible silicone, it's light weight, and it has just the right amount of warmth (15watts) the same as the Aussie.

Their shortest cable is just about perfect for CPAP. It's 11.5ft long, but only 5 ft. of it is heated (I would have preferred 6ft, but close enough). The rest is just cord to run to an outlet.

As for safety, I figure if it's safe enough for an iguana to walk on it should be safe enough for me to sleep with. Just slip it into a hose cover, a wire tie on the rubber part of the hose and your good to go. Cost $9 on eBay plus $8 for shipping (shipping fees are also offensive)

I ordered it last week, I've been using it for the last two nights. It works really really well! It's light and flexible but not flimsy, warm but not too hot, the right length. I'm not sure that it's great for it's intended purpose, but for CPAP it's fantastic.

This is a least my third attempt to add a little warmth to the air. First I tried wrapping a heating pad around the hose, too heavy, not very effective. Then I tried some nichrome wire and melted my hose. This one is easy, and seems safe enough to recommend.

I'm still kinda new to the whole CPAP thing. One of the MANY problems that I've been having is humidification. When I turn down the humidity I feel like I have a cold and my allergies go crazy, when I turn up the humidity I wake up in the middle of the night with a cold wet nose. One problem resolved, next week's goal is hose management.

I've been thinking of adding a thermostat. The same company has a reasonably priced thermostat with a 6 ft. remote sensor probe that controls an outlet. What could be sweeter in CPAPland than a thermostatically controlled nose?

It's 110 voltage fed, and by heating the hose, you make outgassing of the plastics more likely. We all are exposed to outgassed chemicals, that's one reason for Cancer. I just installed a new video card, last month, it had warnings on the package not to handle it for chemical reasons. Jim

Maturity is the ability to stick with a job until it's finished; the ability to do a job without being supervised; the ability to carry money without spending it; and the ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even. I still am working on it.

Quote: What could be sweeter in CPAPland than a thermostatically controlled nose?

Actually, Fisher & Paykel makes humidification units with thermostatically controlled hoses (and, by extension, it works on noses). The following is a slight modification of a post I had made not long ago on another message board:

"Another option to consider is one of the "high end" Fisher & Paykel stand-alone humidifier units, such as the HC500 or MR720 or MR730 (or MR600 series). These are designed primarily for ventilator patients either at home (HC) or in intensive medical care (MR), but they are adaptable to CPAP use. These are similar to the F&P HC100 and HC150 units (and use the same reservoirs), but are much larger, much heavier, and much more complex. They are servo-controlled, so the water temperature is determined by temperature sensors at the two ends of the air hose.

"The units are often available on eBay, for between $50 and $100. But you need to be careful: three attachments are required and the units are virtually useless without all three of them: (1) the temperature sensor wire - of the correct length, (2) a heater attachment wire for the machine, and often an adaptor for the hose heater wire and (3) an air hose with an integral heater wire. (Single-patient plastic hoses, an "Isothermal Breathing Circuit" or "Adult Inspiratory Line Heated", with Airlife / Allegiance the usual manufacturer, last a long time, but are not cleanable in the usual sense. F&P also makes more durable compatible hoses, but with different heater connectors.)

"I use the MR730 with my CPAP, and an Airlife tube. It allows me to set the desired temperature of air delivered to my mask; I am most comfortable with 35 degrees C. I can also set the temperature of the air immediately above the reservoir; I set it 3 degrees lower. That means that the heating wire in the tube warms up the air the final 3 degrees. And that means that there is virtually never rainout: the tube temperature is higher at the patient end than at the humidifier end. But the air is nearly fully saturated with water vapor, and I breathe comfortably warm air just a bit below body temperature (37 C). I love the system.

"Retail costs for this stuff is thousands of dollars. If you can find all of the pieces inexpensively on eBay as I did (less than retail for a new HC150, but all of the pieces are rarely offered together in one package), this is an ideal humidification system. But you've got to be comfortable with the technology! I post this only for completeness, and because I don't recall seeing it mentioned as a great alternative for the adventurous!"

The 110 voltage: I'm not overly concerned about it. Electric blankets, heating pads, and well everything is using 110v. The only way I can get electrocuted is if I manage to make contact with bare wire and a ground while in bed. The silicone insulation is pretty tough. If it's safe enough to recommended for use inside a wet/humid terrarium with a lizard, it should be OK in my bedroom.

Outgassing of plastics: This comes down to the hose your using and the world we live in. I did some quick searches on the topic. Apparently, hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup is suicide. I don't know? Anybody have an info on heat-resistant low-outgassing CPAP hoses?

Velbor: I saw that post earlier, I searched eBay, and decided it was too complex. I was very impressed though. You are probably the first in CPAPland with a thermostatically controlled nose. I hope to be the second

p2pjunkie wrote:The 110 voltage: I'm not overly concerned about it. Electric blankets, heating pads, and well everything is using 110v. The only way I can get electrocuted is if I manage to make contact with bare wire and a ground while in bed. The silicone insulation is pretty tough. If it's safe enough to recommended for use inside a wet/humid terrarium with a lizard, it should be OK in my bedroom.

FYI, I've ordered the heat cable.

My husband is knowledgeable about electrics and he's going to help me feel secure in regards to the safety.

Worked like a charm, and from my perspective, it seems perfectly safe.

People will have to decide for themselves.

I took the plastic twistie that came with the cable, wrapped it around the cable, then wrapped it around the tube/hose. Put the Snuggle hose over that, connected the hose to the machine and plugged the cable into the wall.
Not ONE DROP of rain out. None. It was a relief.

When I first got rain out... I figured it wasn't too big of a deal... but after a little while it really did become tiresome to deal with.

I have my first night with mine tonight! Very excited. I attach my snuggle cover to my hose with hair ties though. I decided to plug it in to see how warm it gets and it's nice! My husband is sitting here on the couch with it wrapped around his head...LOL. I had it on my dog earlier and she loved it.

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In the end everything you are is everything you've done. - Corey Taylor

I have used this for 3 months now.... I made a small slit in the hose and inserted the heated part inside the hose -- Resealed with a bit of silicone tub caulk..... The HEAT with out the air flowing was a little high so I have added a TIMER that kicks the heated wire on about 10-30 mins after I normally go to bed / sleep -then- turn it off at 07:30 when I'm up and on the go!